This disclosure relates in general to liquid light guides and, but not by way of limitation, to liquid light guides used in conjunction with a laser catheter among other things.
Catheters containing optical fibers transmit energy to irradiate internal parts of the body for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. There are many medical applications in which it is desirable to deliver energy, such as laser energy, through an optical fiber or similar waveguide device disposed in a body cavity for treatment or diagnosis. These include, among others, the ablation of tissue such as plaque, calcium, and tumors, the destruction of calculi, and the heating of bleeding vessels for coagulation. Some ablation targets, such as, calcified endovascular lesions, for example, can be especially difficult to ablate. The lasers used may produce either pulsed or continuous-wave light of wavelengths ranging from the ultra-violet to the infra-red.